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No reversal of fortune in the long run: geography and spatial persistence of prosperity in Colombia, 1500-2005

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  • Adolfo Meisel

Abstract

This paper examines the non-reversal of fortune thesis proposed by Acemoglu, Johnson, and Robinson (2002) in the light of the Colombian experience over the last 500 years. Using a total of 14 national population censuses and the record of tributary Indians in 1559, it is found that the population density of Colombian regions presented a high degree of persistence through time. Thus, the evidence indicates that those places that were prosperous circa 1500 remain so today, and viceversa. These results indicate that the long run influences of geography on regional economic disparities within a country are not negligible.

Suggested Citation

  • Adolfo Meisel, 2014. "No reversal of fortune in the long run: geography and spatial persistence of prosperity in Colombia, 1500-2005," Borradores de Economia 841, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdr:borrec:841
    DOI: 10.32468/be.841
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay & Elliott Green, 2011. "The Reversal of Fortune Thesis Reconsidered," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(7), pages 817-831, December.
    2. Laura Cepeda Emiliani & Adolfo Meisel Roca, 2014. "¿Habrá una segunda oportunidad sobre la tierra? Instituciones coloniales y disparidades económicas regionales en Colombia," Revista de Economía Institucional, Universidad Externado de Colombia - Facultad de Economía, vol. 16(31), pages 287-310, July-Dece.
    3. Juan Mendoza & Andrés Rosas, 2013. "The Economic Effects of Geography: Colombia as a Case Study," Revista Desarrollo y Sociedad, Universidad de los Andes,Facultad de Economía, CEDE, January.
    4. Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson & James A. Robinson, 2002. "Reversal of Fortune: Geography and Institutions in the Making of the Modern World Income Distribution," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 117(4), pages 1231-1294.
    5. Camilo García Jimeno, 2005. "Colonial Institutions And Long-Run Economic Performance In Colombia: Is There Evidence Of Persistence?," Documentos CEDE 2152, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    6. Gareth Austin, 2008. "The 'reversal of fortune' thesis and the compression of history: Perspectives from African and comparative economic history," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 20(8), pages 996-1027.
    7. Maloney, William F. & Caicedo, Felipe Valencia, 2012. "The persistence of (subnational) fortune : geography, agglomeration, and institutions in the new world," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6187, The World Bank.
    8. Massimo Livi‐Bacci, 2006. "The Depopulation of Hispanic America after the Conquest," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 32(2), pages 199-232, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Leopoldo Fergusson & Carlos Molina & James A. Robinson & Juan F. Vargas, 2017. "The Long Shadow of the Past: Political Economy of Regional Inequality in Colombia," Documentos CEDE 15445, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    2. Guillermo Perry & Eduardo García & Pedro Jiménez, 2015. "State Capabilities in Colombian Municipalities Measurement and Determinants," Documentos CEDE 12947, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • N16 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - Latin America; Caribbean
    • J10 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - General
    • N36 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Latin America; Caribbean

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